U.S. media outlets have analyzed that Chinese President Xi Jinping is solidifying his long-term grip on power by purging not only opposition forces but also his own associates, while placing his closest allies in key positions.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on July 4 (local time) that Xi is building the most powerful one-man rule since Mao Zedong. The report stated that he is utilizing the authoritarian governing methods of former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and former Chinese leader Mao Zedong to eliminate opposition and reorganize the leadership around loyalists.

The newspaper assessed that Xi has purged dozens of high-ranking officials, strengthened the "cult of personality," and demanded absolute loyalty from both the party and the military.

It particularly noted that the intensity of the purges has increased significantly since Xi secured his third term in 2022.

The report analyzed that the consecutive removal of three members of the Politburo—the Chinese Communist Party's top decision-making body—including He Weidong, Zhang Youxia, and Ma Xingrui, represents the largest-scale purge since 1976.

Furthermore, high-ranking Chinese officials such as former Defense Ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, and former Foreign Minister Qin Gang have been removed from office, along with a series of departures among senior military figures and regional leaders.

The WSJ reported that Xi has revived certain political practices from the Mao era, such as requiring Politburo members to engage in self-criticism and mutual criticism, and evaluating them not only on work performance but also on their level of loyalty.

The outlet also assessed that Xi has laid the groundwork for maintaining long-term power by abolishing term limits for the presidency and refraining from designating a successor.

The New York Times (NYT) reported that ahead of the 21st National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party next year, Xi has appointed his close aide, Cai Qi, Director of the General Office of the Communist Party of China, as the head of the Central Party School, which oversees the training of party cadres, to further cement his long-term rule.

As Cai leads the General Office and the Secretariat, and now takes charge of the Central Party School, he is expected to spearhead the selection and ideological education of the next generation of party officials.

The newspaper analyzed that with a significant portion of the Central Committee expected to be replaced at next year's party congress, it is highly likely that Xi will seek to appoint a large number of individuals who are loyal to his governing philosophy.

Joseph Torigian, a professor at American University in the U.S., told the WSJ, "Communist leaders perceive that as their power grows, so does the attempt to remove them," adding, "Because they believe they must continue to purge to maintain power, a stable state of equilibrium does not exist for them."